Thousand-Miler

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Adventures Hiking the Ice Age Trail

Melanie Radzicki McManus

Head “into the wild” on a journey along the famous Ice Age Trail with wanderer and wonderer Melanie Radzicki McManus—one of the elite few to traverse all 1,100 of the trail's miles.

304 pages, 5.5 x 8.5
Paperback: $28.95 | ISBN: 978-0-87020-790-7
Ebook: $15.99 | ISBN: 978-0-87020-791-4
Publication Date: 4/21/2017

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Description

In thirty-six thrilling days, Melanie Radzicki McManus hiked 1,100 miles around Wisconsin, landing her in the elite group of Ice Age Trail thru-hikers known as the Thousand-Milers. In prose that’s alternately harrowing and humorous, Thousand-Miler takes you with McManus through Wisconsin’s forests, prairies, wetlands, farms, and far-flung small towns. Follow along as she worries about wildlife encounters, wonders if her injured feet will ever recover, and searches for an elusive fellow hiker known as Papa Bear. Woven throughout her account are details of the history of the still-developing Ice Age Trail—one of just eleven National Scenic Trails—and helpful insight and strategies for undertaking a successful thru-hike.

In addition to chronicling McManus’s own hike, Thousand-Miler shares the little-told story of the Ice Age Trail’s first-ever thru-hiker, Jim Staudacher; an account of the record-breaking thru-run of ultrarunner Jason Dorgan; the experiences of a young combat veteran who embarked on her thru-hike as a way to ease back into civilian life; and other fascinating tales from the trail. Their collective experiences shed light on the motivations of thru-hikers and the different ways hikers accomplish this impressive feat, providing an entertaining and informative read for outdoors enthusiasts of all levels.

Author Bio

Melanie Radzicki McManus is a writer and avid long-distance hiker who has twice thru-hiked the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. She has also been a news reporter at a Green Bay radio station, a press secretary at the Wisconsin State Capitol, and editor of two local publications. She has won numerous awards for her writing, most notably the Lowell Thomas Gold and Grand Awards for travel journalism. She is currently attempting to hike the nation’s 10 other National Scenic Trails. McManus lives in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

Many dream, some attempt, and few succeed at completing a trek of the entire Ice Age Trail. This remarkable journal of the sights, sounds, challenges, and joys lets anyone experience the unique journey of a Thousand-Miler.

Mike Wollmer

Former executive director of the Ice Age Trail Alliance

"Melanie Radzicki McManus turns her sense of adventure and keen descriptive voice—not to mention her physical stamina—to a vital stretch of geological wonder. Anyone who wants to hike the Ice Age Trail, or anyone who loves the outdoors but has never heard of this little-known gem, needs to read this book."

—Kerri Westenberg, award-winning travel writer and editor

"Melanie Radzicki McManus’s Thousand-Miler is an absorbing and enlightening first-person account of a thru-trekking adventure. . . . A congenial, adventurous, and inspiring trek through America’s wilderness, with broad appeal."

—Foreword Reviews

"Thousand-Miler weaves together practical advice, hiker profiles and cultural tales the author collected while setting a record for completing the more than 1,000-mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail across Wisconsin in 36 days. The most touching chapter features veterans and the emotional need to 'walk off the war' before transitioning back to home life."

—Minneapolis Star Tribune